13 apps every therapist should use

You became a clinician to change lives, not to drown in paperwork, missed payments, or no-show chaos. Smart apps shave hours off admin tasks, keep HIPAA compliance on lock, and free you to do the work that lights you up. Below are my current go-to digital sidekicks for mental health, integrative medicine, and wellness practices.

(No affiliate links. Just battle-tested tools from the trenches.)

1. SimplePractice – the all-in-one EHR

Best for: Solo or small-group practices that want scheduling, billing, charts, telehealth, and a client portal in one clean dashboard.
Why I like it: HIPAA + HITRUST certified, text-reminder no-show slayer, and a built-in website builder so you’re not wrestling WordPress at midnight.

2. TherapyNotes – bulletproof documentation

Best for: Clinicians who live by neatly organized notes and crave rock-solid reliability.
Standouts: One-click electronic claims, e-prescribing for medications, and human phone support that actually answers.

3. Jane – multi-modality practice hub

Best for: Teams that blend therapy, nutrition, chiropractic, or acupuncture under one roof.
Why it rocks: Beautiful interface, package/punch-card billing, and slick online booking that your clients will rave about.

4. Evernote – your digital brain

Best for: Capturing aha moments between sessions.
Use it to: Clip research articles, dictate voice memos, or snap whiteboard photos—everything syncs and is searchable in seconds.

5. Quenza – homework & engagement engine

Best for: Therapists who assign worksheets, meditations, or psycho-education and want proof clients actually complete them.
Gold feature: Drag-and-drop Activity Builder—create CBT thought logs or mindfulness tracks, then watch engagement stats roll in.

6. Zoom for Healthcare – video that just works

Best for: Hybrid or fully virtual practices needing HIPAA-secure telehealth with crisp audio.
Why switch: HD video, waiting-room controls, and one-click calendar links keep sessions on time and professional.

7. Ivy Pay – swipe-free payments

Best for: Practitioners tired of chasing invoices.
Highlights: HIPAA-secure, takes HSA/FSA cards, and deposits hit your account instantly—goodbye, billing headaches.

8. Round Health – medication-adherence sidekick

Best for: Clinicians who integrate med management or collaborate with prescribing partners.
Benefits to clients: Friendly reminders, refill nudges, and progress streaks enhance compliance without requiring nagging calls.

9. Card Decks (Gottman Institute) – conversation supercharger

Best suited for: Couples or families.
How to use: Pull up a deck, tap a question, and watch guarded partners open up. Over 1,000 prompts drawn from decades of relationship research.

10. DBT Travel Guide – pocket skills coach

Best for: DBT-informed practices or clients who need on-the-go emotional regulation tools.
Client love: Crisis button, mindfulness audios, and a digital diary card they actually fill out.

11. Doxy.me – no-download telehealth

Best for: Quick, secure video sessions when clients balk at installing software.
Edge: Free starter tier, custom room link, and analytics to track who viewed and for how long.

12. Insight Timer – mindfulness on demand

Best for: Sending clients off with high-quality guided meditations, sleep sounds, and breathwork between sessions.
Why share: It’s free, ridiculously deep (150k tracks), and clients stick with it longer than any other meditation app on the market.

13. Calm – science-backed sleep & stress relief

Best for: Clients battling anxiety, insomnia, or runaway thoughts at 2 a.m.
Clinician tip: Recommend a specific series (e.g., “7 Days of Calming Anxiety”) and check in next session to reinforce use.

How to Choose Your Stack

1. Pinpoint the bottleneck. Is it billing, no-shows, client engagement? Solve one pain point at a time.

2. Test on a single client day. Most apps offer trials—run them in parallel with your current system before making a full migration.

3. Calculate ROI, not cost. If a $60/mo app saves three hours or one no-show a week, it’s paying you back big-time.

4. Train your clients early. Short Loom video or step-by-step PDF prevents support emails at 9 p.m.

5. Review quarterly. Needs evolve—ditch what you don’t use, double down on what moves the needle.

Final Word from Pete

Tech should feel like a turbo-boost, not another headache. Start with one app that frees the most time or mental bandwidth, master it, then stack the next. Your future self—and your clients—will thank you.

Curious which tools best match your unique workflow?

Book a free 60-minute Strategy Session with me, Pete.

We’ll review your current approach, identify what’s holding you back, and map out a plan to help you reach your goals.

Afterwards, I’ll send you a personalized Strategy Roadmap—complete with step-by-step guidance, strategic recommendations and insights, and practical initiatives you can use, whether we work together or not.

It’s yours to keep—however you proceed. Consider it a "thank you" for sharing your story.